U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,499 owned by applicant discloses a windsurfing vessel having a hull of catamaran dual hull configuration. It is a useful and desirable vessel, having a number of features and advantages. The two hull sections are of the displacement type wherein the hulls extend down into the water. That vessel also has an effective steering mechanism that allows the user to manipulate or move a push/pull cable or rod that simultaneously operates rudders at the rear end of each of the hull sections. As shown in that patent, the cable is received within an elongated sleeve that supports and provides guidance for the cable. The sleeve is mounted on the hull of the vessel.
The illustrated windsurfing catamaran vessel disclosed in this application provides several significant improvements over the vessel disclosed in the afore mentioned patent.
Instead of using a displacement type hull, the illustrated hull is a planing type, having generally flat bottom surfaces that tend to plane, skim or ride over the surface of the water during operation of the vessel. This allows the present vessel, once it is obtained sufficient speed, to operate with less friction and at higher speeds. Further, the dual, generally flat, lower surfaces provide a wider broader base for the hull of the vessel, provides added stability while the user is raising the sail, and also during sailing or windsurfing of the vessel. There is greater stability as compared to any type single section hull, as well as compared to a two section displacement type hull.
The illustrated vessel also includes an improved steering mechanism. As noted above the steering mechanism illustrated in the patent includes a push/pull rod or cable which is received in and moved along an elongated casing that is mounted on the vessel hull. The present steering mechanism does not include a separate casing, but rather the rod is directly received in a groove or passageway formed in the plastic hull of the illustrated vessel. The plastic-to-plastic rod-to-groove interface provides a relatively low friction relationship. This allows the push/pull rod to move easily in either desired direction.
The groove is open to the water, which further reduces the friction between the rod and the groove; this is an advantage for this mechanism, as distinguished from the problem which the water could create by causing rust and corrosion in a mechanism that utilized metal parts such as a metal sleeve or casing.
The illustrated elongated plastic cable or rod is sufficiently rigid verse flexible so it can go around relatively large radii while still being able to span relatively short distances without significant bending.
The illustrated steering mechanism includes a pivoted control member that is connected to the rod in such a manner as to multiply the force applied by the user to achieve the desired magnitude of force to effectively move the rod.